Adjustable bearing guide for lineally movable shafts



Feb. 23, 1954 v M. c, TRlBBET-r 2,670,251

ADJUSTABLE BEARING GUIDE FOR LINEALLY MOVABLE SHAFTS Filed Oct. 4, 1950A uuuu u:

INVENTOR M at 91275822 ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1954 UNITED ZFSI CE i2,670,251 ADJUSTABLE LBEARIN G "GUID-E'FOR LiNEALIZY MOVABLE "S'HZXFTSMurrayfi. Tribbett, -Mount :GileadQOhi-n, rassig nor to -.H-PMDevelopment Corporation, "li'ii'onnt Gilead, Ghiu, a corporation ofDelaware Anpii catiowilctdber 4, 1950, Serial *No. 188F139 --2 Claims.

2i FIE-he present invention relates "to -shaft-.-guiding means, andwhilemot being so limited, has par- *ticular reference to an improved-=beari-ng .-;guide for the reciprocating rams of hydraulic presses.

The "usual hydraulic press comprises a stat-ionary press bed, anelevated press head which carries a suitable hydraulic fiuid actuated-rec-iproeating ram, and a plurality of strain rods-\orsta tionary'frameimembers extending between the .press head :and bed to :absorbseparation orces impartedto the .press head and bed during the operationcfthe reciprocating ram. in the usual *manner, the -reciprccatin-g ramcarries at its lower end a press vplaten cooperative with astationarydie-supported :cn .thepress bed. Generally, the press platen is guidedits reciprocating movement by means of .a plurality of corner .g'ibswhich are slidably connected with the strain rods or spaced stationaryTirame [members of the p ss disp d on pposite sides of the ress platenand ram. It will be understood that in press operations it is absolutelynecessary "that the .press platen and press ram follow'a's'traightlineltravel in order 'th'at'the co'mplemental sur- "faces oi'fthe'pr'essplaten anddie'may be brought into exact alignment during "the pressingstroke to impart the desired configuration to a workpiece. Due to therelatively extreme forces and the :size and weight "of the elements "ofthe "ordinary press, considerable difficulty has "been encountered withthe ordinary type of g'ib guide due to its inability "to "compensate forthe nor- *mal wear encountered during prolonged press usage. Further, ithas been found that in press assemblies wherein"the-outercornersbi thepress platen are provided with gib guides engaging the associated strainrods "or vertical s'tanohions of the press, it is diificult to eliminatethe normal tendency of the press platen *to Wobble "laterally duringreciprocating movement, due tothe reiative spacing between'the axisnf-the ram and the faxes or the 'gib guides disposed at the extremitiesof the "press platen.

Accordingly, it *is 'the primary object of the present invention toprovide an im-proved bear- I .ing :blocks and "adjustable "to varytheiefiiective size of "the C'lKOILIE I :opening :deiined by said:blocks, whereby to compensate zior the inorma'l wear 0f the hearingblocks :and thereby prevent undesired :radial displacement of anassociated shaft during its iong itudinal :movement.

For a vfurther and more ade'tailed .aunders'tandzjing @Of the presentinvention :and the Nations additional'objeots'iand advantagesrealizedfthenefrom, reference :is made toithe ifollow-ing descriptionand the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is racside elevational yiew of'a'hydraulic press utilizing thepresent improved bearing guide;

Fig. 2 .;is a horizontal sectional view taken through the bearingiguid'e 1310118 the line 2- io'f Fig. :1

Fig. 8 .5.5 :a similar view shaken along ithe -iline (Ii-+3 oiiEig. 11.andshowiing :in detail ithe aaidqiust- "in'g sc'rewzs afo'r the iindiviidualigibs :of the present bearing :guide.

:Fig. 4iis an enlarged efragmentary horizontal sectional "viewillustrating in idetail .the gib a'd- -dusting means :of :the present:bear'ingaguide.

Referring now to the zdrawings, the :numera'l H! designates theistationary rbed 20f :ashydraulic :press zupon *which is mounted :a:stationary cma-le @clie member 1| 1. Arismg wertically fcn'zeither ofthe bed iii! is ;a v:pairzof relatively spaced stationary iframeimembersM which supportnt their uppernendsitheahead xlr3 of thepress.'tlereierablv, as shown in d'etail in :Eigs. 2 r and :3, thets'tationany .=frame members 12 ref the ;press were each formed toieons'titute an outer :shell casingtifl through whichiextend :a pair of:solid strain mods #25 which, tin athe 'ausual manner, :are ibclted, or:otherwise suitably secured, :at their respective ends to thebedmndahead fioi the zpress'to :absorb strain forces imparted duringpressing eneraitions. The-casing ii'dsurrounding the-tsitrain'rods i.5:;is slikewise suitably irigidly secured iboth toathe strainirods IE5and "to the J bed and head elements .of therpress toi prevent relativemovement :oi foyerall stationary frame members 12. :As will -be :seenparticularly from :Figs. :2 an'd 310i the drawings, each-casing M isformed intermediate its ends with inwardly directed bosses .WhiflhlBI-JBJ bent to form a relatively wide rectangular channeled recess 16, withthe individual recesses of each casing being opposed so as to define asubstantially rectangular chamber surrounding the intermediate portionof the reciprocating plunger or ram ll of the press. In the usualmanner, the head l3 of the press supports the main hydraulic cylinder l8into which fluid pressure is introduced to reciprocate the ram [1. Also,the head I3 supports the various valves, pumps, reservoirs, and othercontrol apparatus necessary to the actuation of the press ram. The ramI! of the press carries at its lower end a press platen [9 which, in thepresent instance, carries a female die which cooperates with thestationary die H to impart to a workpiece the desired configuration upona pressing stroke of the ram H. To guide the ram and the platen E9 intheir vertical travel, there are positioned within the rectangularopening defined by the recesses it formed in the stationary framemembers I4 of the press, four separate bearing blocks 20 which areformed on their inner surfaces with armately concaved bearing surfaces2 1. Each of the bearingblocks 20 is formed with right angularlydisposed outer side walls 22 which are arranged to fit within the cornerregions of the recesses 16 formed in the stationary frame members M.

As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, each of the of movement of the ram11, or, in other words,

to prevent movement of the blocks relative to the stationary framemembers [2 in response to movement of the ram l1. Further, rotationalmovement of the ram I1 is prevented by means of a longitudinallydisposed key 24 extending radially inwardly from one of the blocks 29into a channeled groove 25 formed in the outer surface of the ram [1.

Each of the bearing blocks 20, on its outer sides, is formed withcircular recesses 26 which receive the inner headed ends of relativelyspaced set screws 21. The set screws 21 are carried in screw-threadedopenings formed in the casing 14 and are provided at their outer endswith screwdriver-receiving slots by which the set screws may be rotatedto urge the individual blocks 20 to move radially inwardly with respectto the ram IT. The recesses 26 formed in the outer walls of the blocksare relatively larger than the heads of the set screws to permitcompound radial movement of the blocks when the separate set screwsdisposed in right angular relation to one another are tightened to crowdthe blocks into tight engagement with the ram 11. There is also providedin association with each set of set screws 21 an adjustable cap screw 28which extends through a slotted opening 29 formed in the wall of thecasing I4 and threadedly engages the block 20. Each block is providedwith two cap screws disposed in right angular relation to each other andbetween the two set screws 21. opposed to that of the set screws 21 inthat tightening of the cap screws 28 serves to draw the individualblocks 20 radially outwardly with respect to the ram 11 in opposition tothe action of the set screws 21 which forces the blocks inwardly. Inthis manner, when it is desired to tighten the blocks 20 against theperiphery of the ram II, the cap screws 28 are loosened prior to theadjustment of the set screws 2? which, in turn, are tightened inwardlyof the blocks an The action of the cap screws 28 is even amount todisplace the blocks 20 radially toward the ram until a tight fit isobtained between the bearing surface 2| of the blocks and the segment ofthe outer periphery of the ram engaged by the blocks, at which time thecap screws 28 are tightened to draw the blocks into tight engagementwith the headed ends of the set screws 21 and thereby to lock the blocksin their adjusted positions.

Access to the individual set screws 21 and cap screws 28 may be had byway of slotted openings 30 formed in the outer wall of the casing M inregistration with the ends of the set screws and cap screws. Thus, theindividual blocks 20 may be adjusted with facility without in any waydisassembling the component parts of the press, whereby to assure aclose fit between the bearing surfaces 2! of the individual blocks andthe outer periphery of the ram II. It will be understood that tightclamping forces between the blocks and the outer surface of the ram areundesirable, yet at the same time, the outer peripheral surface of theram [1 should be closely engaged by the bearing surfaces 2! of theblocks in order to prevent lateral displacement or wobbling of the raml! in its upward or downward movement during press operations.

Bearing guides formed in accordance with the present invention providegenerally increased bearing surfaces between the stationary and movablemembers of the press, while at the same time permitting accurateadjustment and compensation for wear within the bearing blocks or gibs.Further, due to the fact that the present bearing guide is arranged toguide the reciprocating ram of the press, rather than the relativelywide platen of the press as is the usual case, the moment arm betweenthe axis of the ram and the bearing surface of the guide is greatlydecreased, thereby minimizing the wear upon the individual gibs of theguide.

I claim:

1. In a bearing guide for a linearly movable cylindrical shaft; astationary frame defining a chamber of rectangular cross-sectionalconfiguration about an intermediate portion of the shaft; a plurality ofbearing gibs carried by said frame within said chamber for limitedradial movement with respect to the shaft, each of said gibs beingformed with an arcuately concaved bearing face for close fittingengagement with a segment of the outer surface of the shaft and a pairof right angular side walls disposed in adjacent relation to a cornerregion of said chamber; set screw means threadedly carried in said frameand engaging the separate side Walls of each of said gibs, said setscrew means being adjustable to move said gibs from the corner regionsof said chamber radially inwardly toward the shaft; and locking meansfor holding said gibs in radially adjusted positions with respect tosaid shaft comprising screw-threaded members rotatably carried in saidframe and threadedly engaged with each of said gibs at each of the sidewalls thereof and adjustable to draw said gibs radially outwardly withrespect to said shaft and toward the corner regions of said chamber andinto tight engagement with said set screw means.

2. In a hydraulic press; a hydraulically actuated reciprocating ram; apair of relatively spaced stationary frame members disposed on oppositesides of said ram and spaced therefrom, said frame members defining ashaft-receiving chamber of generally rectangular cross-sectionalconfiguraiton; a plurality of guide blocks carried by said frame membersin each corner of said chamber and having bearing surfaces thereonconforming to a segment of the outer periphery of said ram, each of saidblocks being keyed to one of said frame members to prevent movement ofsaid blocks relative to said frame members in directions parallel to theaxis of said ram, but permitting limited movement of said blocksradially inwardly toward said ram and being formed with right angularside walls adjacent said frame members; a plurality of set screwsthreadedly carried by each of said frame members and abutting each ofthe side walls of said blocks and adjustable to move said blocksradially inwardly toward said ram to bring the bearing surfaces of saidblocks into close conformity with the outer 6 periphery of said ram; anda plurality of locking screws threaded into each of the side walls ofsaid blocks and adjustable to move said blocks radially outwardly withrespect to said ram and thereby to tension said blocks against said setscrews.

MURRAY C. TRIBBETT.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 421,856 Case Feb. 18, 1890 675,241 Pederson May 28, 19011,122,409 Mumford Dec. 29, 1914 2,337,984 Flowers Dec. 28, 19432,342,946 Le Tourneau Feb. 29, 1944

